MESSAGES FROM PLANET EARTH. A circular silicon disc, manufactured by the Semi-Conductor Division of Sprague Electric Company of North Adams, Massachusetts. 2 inches diameter but with one flattened edge, wafer-thin, one side coated in greenish-purple polychromatic coating, etched lettering "From Planet Earth ... July 1969" visible to the naked eye, and an array of microscopic etching, the reverse irregularly grey-colored, 3 small patches of corrosion to the text side.

A little-known relic: as well as the American flag and the "We came in peace for all mankind" plaque, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin also left a silicon disc on the lunar surface. That disc was manufactured by Sprague, an established NASA contractor with more than 50,000 components in Apollo spacecraft. Commissioned by NASA's Electronics Research Center, it carried messages from 73 world leaders, gathered in a frantic rush by NASA and the State Department in the weeks before the launch date.The messages were photographed, reduced 200 times, and etched onto the surface of the disc just like integrated circuits. The example carried on Apollo 11 and now on the moon's surface, like its sister in the Smithsonian, was encased in a protective aluminum holder, with eleven sides symbolizing Apollo 11.It is unclear how many of the discs were produced. In addition to the examples on the surface of the moon and in the Smithsonian, probably only a handful exist. The present example was given to its current owner in around 1972-3 by a manager at Sprague; the owner's employer at the time collaborated with the electronics company. This disc has a broader rim than the version left on the moon, perhaps indicating it is a prototype or trial run. The discs have been the subject of a recent book by Tahir Rahman, We Came in Peace: The Untold Story of the Apollo 11 Silicon Disc (2007).

This auction is now finished. If you are interested in consigning in future auctions, please contact the specialist department. If you have queries about lots purchased in this auction, please contact customer services.

Buyers' Obligations

ALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.

If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.

Buyers' Premium and Charges

Buyer's Premium Rates25% on the first $100,000 of the Hammer Price20% from $100,001 to $2,000,000 of the Hammer Price12% on the excess over $2,000,000 of the Hammer Price

Payment Notices

Payment for purchases may be made in or by (a) cash, (b) cashier's check or money order, (c) personal check with approved credit drawn on a U.S. bank, (d) wire transfer or other immediate bank transfer, or (e) Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit, charge or debit card. A processing fee will be assessed on any returned checks. Please note that the amount of cash notes and cash equivalents that can be accepted from a given purchaser may be limited.

Shipping Notices

For information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.